The United States and 27 other countries have condemned the open-ended nature of the UN investigation into alleged human rights violations in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The group of countries expressed their concern about the Commission of Inquiry (COI), which has an “open-ended mandate with no sunset clause” or closing date. The countries, including Austria, Britain, Canada, and Italy, demanded an end to the “long-standing disproportionate attention given to Israel in the council.” The COI was set up in May 2021 following a surge in deadly violence between Israelis and Palestinians earlier that month. The council established an ongoing independent, international COI to investigate “all alleged violations of international humanitarian law and all alleged violations and abuses of international human rights law” in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem.
The COI is the highest-level investigation that can be ordered by the Human Rights Council. It is also charged with looking into “all underlying root causes of recurrent tensions, instability and protraction of conflict.” The first-ever open-ended COI is being conducted by UN rights chief Navi Pillay of South Africa, along with India’s Miloon Kothari and Chris Sidoti of Australia. Israel is refusing to cooperate with the investigation.
The investigators found that authorities both in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories were violating Palestinian civil society rights through harassment, threats, arrests, interrogations, detention, and torture. Israel’s authorities were responsible for the majority of the violations, according to the report. After the report was published, Israel slammed the findings, saying the country had a “robust and independent civil society… that can operate freely.”
The European Union’s representative noted that some EU member states had not supported setting up the commission “because of concerns about its broad mandate” and permanent nature. Palestinian ambassador Ibrahim Khraishi condemned the US-led joint statement, calling it “disgraceful.” Venezuela, speaking on behalf of several countries including China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, and Syria, gave its full support to the commission’s mandate.
The COI’s Open-Ended Mandate
The Commission of Inquiry (COI) was established by the United Nations’ Human Rights Council in May 2021 to investigate alleged human rights violations in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The COI has an open-ended mandate with no sunset clause or closing date. This means that the investigation can continue indefinitely until the council decides to end it. The COI is the highest-level investigation that can be ordered by the Human Rights Council.
The COI is charged with investigating “all alleged violations of international humanitarian law and all alleged violations and abuses of international human rights law” in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem. It is also charged with looking into “all underlying root causes of recurrent tensions, instability and protraction of conflict.”
Israel’s Refusal to Cooperate
Israel is refusing to cooperate with the COI’s investigation. The country has criticized the COI’s open-ended mandate and has accused the commission of bias against Israel. Israel has also said that it has a “robust and independent civil society… that can operate freely.”
The COI’s Findings
The COI’s investigators found that authorities both in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories were violating Palestinian civil society rights through harassment, threats, arrests, interrogations, detention, and torture. Israel’s authorities were responsible for the majority of the violations, according to the report.
The COI’s Report and Reaction
After the report was published, Israel slammed the findings, saying the country had a “robust and independent civil society… that can operate freely.” Palestinian ambassador Ibrahim Khraishi condemned the US-led joint statement, calling it “disgraceful.” Venezuela, speaking on behalf of several countries including China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, and Syria, gave its full support to the commission’s mandate.
Concerns About the COI’s Mandate
The European Union’s representative noted that some EU member states had not supported setting up the commission “because of concerns about its broad mandate” and permanent nature. The United States and 27 other countries have also condemned the open-ended nature of the UN investigation into alleged human rights violations in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The group of countries expressed their concern about the COI’s “open-ended mandate with no sunset clause” or closing date. The countries demanded an end to the “long-standing disproportionate attention given to Israel in the council.”
Conclusion
The Commission of Inquiry (COI) was established by the United Nations’ Human Rights Council in May 2021 to investigate alleged human rights violations in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The COI has an open-ended mandate with no sunset clause or closing date. Israel is refusing to cooperate with the investigation, and the country has criticized the COI’s open-ended mandate and has accused the commission of bias against Israel. The COI’s investigators found that authorities both in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories were violating Palestinian civil society rights through harassment, threats, arrests, interrogations, detention, and torture. Israel’s authorities were responsible for the majority of the violations, according to the report. Some EU member states had not supported setting up the commission “because of concerns about its broad mandate” and permanent nature. The United States and 27 other countries have also condemned the open-ended nature of the UN investigation into alleged human rights violations in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.